Private Caves Tour with a Geologist
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Terceira, Portugal
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Geologist expert guide
- Hotel Pick up and drop off
- Snacks
- Infant's car seats
- Entrance Fee to Gruta do Natal - €9.00 (combo ticket €15.00 per person)€9.00 per person
- Entrance Fee to Algar do Carvão - €10.00 (combo ticket €15.00 per person)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Start time.2:00 pm
Itinerary
1
Gruta do Natal
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Furnas do Enxofre
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Algar do Carvao
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Cinco Ribeiras
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Angra do Heroismo (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 16 reviews
Tom_W, Jul 2026
Ricardo was a brilliant tour guide. Massively knowledgeable about geology, history and the Azores in general all in superb English. Volcanic caves, steaming rocks and sampling local cheese - what more could you want!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your kind words!
Sidney_B, May 2026
Having Ricardo as our guide took this tour from good to excellent. He was patient and thoughtful. He allowed us to go at our own pace but was there to answer any questions. He added invaluable information and insight, we never could have had if we not had an experience geologist to guide us.
I would also recommend bringing a raincoat and wearing grippy closed toed shoes. There are a lot of stairs and uneven ground but doable even for my 63 year old mother.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you 🙏🏼
alan_c, Sep 2025
We are adventurous and this was our first trip to the Azores. Ricardo picked us up at the square in Angra do Heroismo. The big cave is closed temporarily for upgrades so he suggested some other activities and left it to us to decide. We went inside lava tubes at Christmas cave and also visited an area with multiple fumaroles. As scientists we knew right away talking with him that he was very knowledgeable. Ricardo says he's from the mainland, and fell in love with Terceira when he was completing exploration work for the geothermal power station that now supplies a percentage of Terceira's electricity. He showed us the outside of the geothermal plant and explained how they use the steam and water to generate electricity. He decided to come back to Terceira after working there. We have met people like Ricardo while traveling before, and he smiled widely when we mentioned some people decide to relocate because they fall in love with a certain location and way of life. Ricardo fits this profile. We spent the last hour enjoying local cheeses in a cantina overlooking the ocean and chatting about travelling. Ricardo's parting advise was to try the fish soup at a restaurant at our last stop, Sao Miguel Island. It was magnificent advise! Overall, it was an amazing time and we felt like we made a new friend. Thank you, Ricardo!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope to see you again when the Algar do Carvão cave is open.
Ivy_G, Jul 2025
Ricardo was very knowledgeable and an excellent guide. The tour was easy for our 8 and 10 year olds to also enjoy. Don’t miss this opportunity while staying in Terceira.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
It was such a rewarding experience doing the tour with your kids! It was such a lovely day. Thank you!
Vicente_L, Sep 2024
It was a wonderful tour. We enjoyed it a lot, and the guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The two caves are definitely a must in Terceira, and the Algar do Carvão was breathtaking.
Joanne_A, Sep 2024
Best trip of our visit to Terceira! Great communication re Hotel pick up . Having Ricardo as our guide meant that we really got the best out of our visits to Gruta do Natal and Algar do Carvão. Having the features explained and been shown what to look for made the experience soo much more interesting. We loved it . We got to see the island with someone who was great who explained the area and also had a fabulous stop for local wine and cheese. What a great experience!
Annaly_S, Aug 2024
Great tour for a fair price! Richard gave a great perspective on the island and history of volcanoes we wouldn't have gotten without him. I loved learning & seeing the different lava flows and multiple sights. If you go for the half day and have extra time, definitely try the cheese!
anne_z, Jul 2024
Ricardo was an excellent guide! We highly recommend him. Picked us up on time and taught us much more than we could have on our own in Gruta do Natal and the amazing Carvao. He also took us on a walk around the Furnas do Exofre ( steam vents) and described plants and birds as we went.
We had such visiting a small coffee and fruit farm on our way back to town.
ANA_H, Jul 2024
Ricardo es encantador!!! Y los lugares que se visitan son fantásticos! Uno de los sitios que más me han impresionado en mis viajes. Muy bien explicado todo y perfectamente gestionado. Aconsejable 100%. Si peros.
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per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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